U.S. hopes to add more than 1,000 diplomats

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 1,000 diplomats would be added to the U.S. foreign service under a plan to improve language skills, training and security outlined on Monday in U.S. President George W. Bush's budget request.

According to State Department officials, the budget calls for hiring an additional 1,076 people for the foreign service, including 300 slots for diplomats to study challenging languages like Chinese, Arabic and Urdu.

About 150 slots would be for diplomats to get mid-career training and 50 more to provide additional political advisers to senior U.S. military commanders around the globe.

With the funding for these, the State Department could hire people to replace others within the foreign service who may be assigned to such missions.

Another 250 slots would be for an "Active Response Corps" of people with special skills who could be deployed within 24 hours. A further 100 people would help to manage their activities.

An additional 200 places would be set aside for diplomatic security, reflecting increasing dangers to American officials overseas, and another 20 or so for public diplomacy.

Separately, the budget proposal, which covers the fiscal year that begins October 1, 2008, seeks funding for 300 additional officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development aid agency.